The final ending of the Stranger Things series explained: who died? Who survived?

The series finale of Stranger Things included shocking character deaths, surprising revelations, a time jump and an engagement – but did the show end on a satisfactory note?

The hit Netflix series concluded on Wednesday, December 31 with Joyce (Winona Ryder), Hopper (David Harbor), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Dozen (Matarazzo Gate), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Will (Noah Schnapp), maximum (Sadie Sink), Steve (Joe Keery), Robin (Maya Hawke) and Erica (Priah Ferguson) come together to defeat Vecna ​​​​(Jamie Campbell Bower).

The show finally concluded with the heroes conquering Vecna. However, there were a few casualties and a time jump that provided an update on where everyone ended up 18 months after the Great Battle of Hawkins. In the final shot, the main group of friends played one last Dungeons and Dragons battle before heading off on their next adventure as students. Their seats didn’t stay empty for long because Holly (Nell Fisher) and his friends – including Delightful Derek – were the next to take over the game.

Created by Mast And Ross Duffer, Stranger Things focuses on a fictional town where a series of supernatural events take place, causing mystery, death and chaos. Season 5, which was divided into three parts, previously received a lackluster reaction as fans questioned several scenes, including potential character breakups, rumors deleted scenes and more.

Randy Havenswho played the beloved Mr. Clarke, took to Instagram earlier this month to respond to viral messages from viewers claiming that show insiders anonymously shared that crucial moments were left off the air.

“There is no secret Snyder cut of the series,” he wrote, referring to director Zack Snyder’s original cut of 2017’s Justice League, with the longer version of the film released on HBO Max in 2021 after an overwhelming fan response. “People don’t believe everything some random asshole tells you on the internet.”

Keep scrolling to find out where each character’s story ends:

Joyce Byers

After helping the children win the war against Vecna, it was Joyce who delivered the fatal blow in honor of her ex Bob (Sean Astin). The time jump showed Joyce sending Will to college before planning a future with Hopper, which included accepting his proposal.

Jim Hopper

The fight for humanity has led to several close calls for Hopper. He even got to see Vecna ​​when her mind was briefly taken over by the big bad. But Hopper ultimately survived and remained police chief in Hawkins. The scenes in 1989, however, suggested that he might accept a new position in Montauk. As some fans may recall, Stranger Things was originally going to be called Montauk because it’s based on the real-life Montauk Project conspiracy theory.

Mike Wheeler

In addition to helping his friends defeat Vecna, Mike had to deal with a personal loss. As everyone returned to Hawkins from the Upside Down, the army ambushed them and Mike watched as Eleven refused to return. They shared one final moment in her mind as she explained her decision to disappear so that others could live a normal life instead of always having to hide it.

The jump in time introduces a new theory about what really happened to Eleven…but more on that later. For Mike, the future suggested that he would become a writer as he immortalized all of his friends’ adventures on paper. He also finished the group’s final D&D game before seeing the next generation enter his basement.

Eleven

The finale was difficult for Eleven, who considered letting herself die to keep others safe. Hopper convinced her not to stop fighting for a future, but Eleven ultimately survived while Kali was shot. While Eleven was able to confront – and kill – Vecna ​​once and for all, she did not return to Hawkins and seemed to allow herself to remain in the Upside Down.

She was thought to be dead but Mike suggested another theory. He pointed out that Eleven’s powers were suppressed by the military, so the visual of her death could have been a vision created by Kali in her final moments. Instead, Mike held out hope that Eleven would be able to live out her life somewhere far from Hawkins, which the audience saw briefly, although it was up to the viewer if they chose that ending for the story.

Dustin Henderson

The time jump showed Dustin as the valedictorian of his class. In his speech, Dustin found a way to honor Eddie (Joseph Quinn) and even caught the attention of some girls at their school. Mike’s prediction for Dustin showed him thriving in college, but still finding time for weekend adventures with Steve.

Lucas Sinclair

Mike’s vision for Lucas showed him and Max still dating and thriving outside of Hawkins.

Nancy Wheeler

After helping defeat Vecna, Nancy left Hawkins to join Emerson. However, she revealed to her group of friends that she had dropped out of school to work for the Herald.

Jonathan Byers

As for Jonathan, he was at NYU making films and prosperous. Her brother, Will, also attends school in New York, and Joyce and Hopper’s move to Montauk would keep their family unit together once they’re out of Hawkins.

Will Byers

After his release, Will was able to harness his powers further. He saw the story of Vecna’s origin in the cave and even tried to appeal to him. It didn’t work but Will came out the other side more confident in himself. In Mike’s vision for his future, Will was happy in New York and even felt comfortable enough to find love.

Max Mayfield

The time jump 18 months into the future showed that Max was completely healed. She graduated alongside Lucas and their friends. Mike’s vision showed her and Lucas still watching movies together as their happiness continued to grow.

Steve Harrington

Despite a fake near-death scene clearly meant to mock all of us who were worried about Steve’s future, he survived. He was also one of the only people in the friend group to stay in Hawkins. He was seen working for the school as a coach – who also doubled as a sex education teacher – and he was happy with life in a small town. He still went out but he was more focused on his friendships. After being visibly upset at no longer seeing Jonathan, Nancy and Robin now that they were spread across several states, they agreed to meet once a month.

Robin Buckley

There have been no updates on Robin’s relationship with Vickie, but Robin has also left town. She missed Steve and the others though, which she told them while remembering how their bond paled in comparison to her new friendships.

Erica Sinclair

After playing a role alongside Mr. Clarke in Vecna’s downfall, Erica was still disappointed by her brother’s antics. She remained in Hawkins when the time jump detected her.

Holly Wheeler

The younger Wheeler played an important role in saving Vecna’s children. She was alive and well during the time jump and remained friends with the children she was captured with in the Upside Down. Their last scene was Holly running downstairs with her friends to start playing D&D, which showed the next generation taking over where Mike and his friends left off.

Henry Creel and One and Vecna

The series finale looked like the perfect advertisement for Stranger Things: The First Shadow as Vecna ​​aka One aka Henry faced her fear and entered the cave. There we saw him once again get shot by the man before young Henry opened his briefcase. Inside was a mysterious rock containing an entity that spoke to Henry. It was able to get into his hand through a cut and Henry allowed it to take over. Will tried to reason with this version of Vecna ​​to break free and help them since the big bad was only doing the entity’s bidding. Vecna, however, refused because he claimed to believe in the vision the entity had for the world. This sealed her fate and Eleven (with the help of the others) destroyed Vecna, Mind Flayer, Upside Down and Abyss.